All on 4
Dental Implants
in Central Queensland
We’re the dental implant people in Yeppoon
- All planning and placement performed by our lead implant dentist
- Start-to-finish All on 4 treatment in the one location
- Follow-up aftercare and adjustment appointments
- Flexible payment plan
- First consultation free
Full dental implants. It’s a confidence thing
Smiling with confidence. Enjoying the best steak in town with confidence. Talking, laughing and even sneezing with confidence. Choosing All on 4 implants is about cracking on with life confidently. But the first step in this journey is finding the implant dentist who can deliver the long-lasting, life-changing dental work you need.
MEET
Dr. Luke
Christensen
Luke is Keppel Dental’s lead implant and All on 4 dentist. Graduating from Sydney University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Dentistry (Hons), he continues to attend conferences, courses, and residencies led by some of Australia’s leading implant and digital dentistry practitioners.
Since 2015 he has completed:
- a residency in prosthodontics
- a surgical course at Sydney Eye Hospital
- soft tissue and bone grafting courses at the University of Queensland
- a Smile Syllabus Training Institute digital dentistry training course.
As a modern, forward-thinking practitioner Luke embraces the latest dentistry technologies to rebuild natural-looking smiles. More importantly, his love of gadgets means a more comfortable in-chair experience for you.
Book your full mouth implant treatment with us and you’ll be in Luke’s care from start to finish. Whether it’s your first consultation, the main procedures, final adjustments or aftercare appointment, Luke will be there every step of the way.
What are all on 4 implants?
Full mouth implants aren’t for everyone. We’ll talk more about that soon, but right now it’s important to understand what this dental treatment is.
Here’s how Luke explains it.
“Dental implants replace a missing tooth. When you’ve got several teeth missing from the upper or lower jaw, All on 4 may be a better option than getting several individual implants.
All on 4 treatment is where we place at least four implants to secure a whole row of prosthetic teeth or a bridge. The official dental industry name for this treatment is ‘full-arch implant-supported bridge’, but that’s a mouthful. All on 4, All on X, All on 6 or multiple implants are a lot easier to say. And they achieve the same result.
The procedure involves placing titanium screw-like fittings into the jawbone. These are the implants, and each implant does the same job as a natural tooth’s root: it anchors a row of prosthetic teeth so they stay put.”
Structure of an implant
Full bridge with prosthetic teeth
Are All on 4 implants right for you?
You may be thinking about getting All on 4 because
- you want to stop using dentures
- your teeth are cracked or decaying
- you already have multiple teeth missing in the upper or lower jaw (or both)
- you’ve been told there isn’t enough bone for implants but you want another opinion.
Whatever your motivation, we’ll deliver a personalised treatment plan that gives you the natural-looking and natural-feeling teeth you need.
Your oral health and personal circumstances are at the heart of the care that we provide.
During your free consultation, Luke will assess whether All on 4 implants are right for you. And if they’re not, he’ll suggest other options that can achieve what you want in terms of appearance, investment and day-to-day comfort. Your All on 4 journey starts with knowing what’s possible.
What to expect from your free consultation
- Choose to have it in person, over the phone or via video chat. Whatever works best for you.
- Have a 10–15-minute talk with our lead implant dentist, Dr Luke Christensen.
- Get a rough estimate for the total treatment cost.
- Discover what results you can expect.
- Book your first appointment.
Dentures vs all on 4
You said you already wear dentures
Are you frustrated by years of looking after your dentures?
Are they stopping you from enjoying day-to-day life?
Are they uncomfortable to wear?
We can help you make the transition from dentures to implants.
During your free first consultation, we’ll discuss the challenges you’re experiencing with your dentures. We can then tell you whether you need any implant pre-procedure work such as a:
- tooth extraction
- bone graft
- gum graft
- sinus lift.
Before moving forward we’ll need to see you to check the overall condition of your remaining teeth and gums, and treat any existing oral health challenges.
Have you been told you can’t have implants because there isn’t enough bone?
We can do a couple of things
- Take fresh scans (if yours were done more than six months ago) to see whether anything has changed.
- Work out whether you need a bone graft that will allow us to fit permanent dental implants.
If there really isn’t enough bone, dentures are the better option. Not having enough bone will lead to implant failure. But we’ll start by making sure that’s actually true. And if it is, then we can talk about making you some comfortable, great looking dentures.
You said you’re trying to decide between dentures and implants
Tailoring the treatment to each person is always the best outcome. And as a practice that provides All on 4 implants and dentures, we know they both have pros and cons.
Dentures | Implants | |
Cost | Dentures are an affordable way to achieve a ‘full smile look’. You may also get a rebate from your health fund. | Implants, especially full-bridge implants, are an investment. The cost can be reduced if you have a private health fund policy that covers major dental procedures. (We also offer a flexible repayment plan.) |
Appearance | High-quality dentures are made from acrylic resin. So they look very natural. | High-quality implants are made from titanium and the supported bridges from ceramic. So they’ll look and feel very natural. |
Comfort | Correctly fitted dentures are usually comfortable. However, as your jaw changes shape with age they may no longer fit properly, which can cause soreness or pain. | Once your gums have healed and the implants have been fitted, you won’t feel any discomfort. Pain is only likely if you experience peri-implantitis (similar to gum disease) accompanied by a small abscess. |
Day-to-day care | Dentures need to be removed every night, carefully cleaned every few days, and left to soak in water or denture-friendly cleaning fluid. | With implants you can follow a regular oral health routine: – use a Waterpik, interdental brush or length of superfloss once a day – see your dentist for regular checkups. |
Longevity | You will need new dentures fitted every 10 years (roughly) to accommodate your changing jaw shape. Taking dentures in and out means a higher risk of damage. | Dental implants are more secure than other tooth-replacement alternatives because they’re fixed to your jaw. This makes them less likely to break or come loose. If the bridge or a crown does crack it can be removed, repaired and replaced. |
The five steps of full-arch dental implant treatment
Step 1
Initial consultation
Before launching into treatment, we work out whether you’re a good All on 4 candidate by:
- looking at your teeth
- taking scans and x-rays of your gums and jawbones
- talking to you about your lifestyle (e.g. whether you smoke)
- discussing any current oral health challenges that need addressing.
During your first face-to-face consultation, you’ll know in an hour or less whether it’s the right restorative dentistry for you.
Already completed this step? No problem. When you call for your free consultation, tell us where your scans and x-rays were done and we will try to get them sent to us.
Step 2
Planning for implant surgery
Pre-surgery groundwork includes:
- treating existing gum disease
- taking detailed 3D scans of your mouth using an intraoral scanner
- printing a 3D surgical guide, which is used to position your implants correctly
- designing your temporary and final full-arch teeth or dental bridge
- completing extra dental work such as tooth extraction, sinus lift, or gum and bone grafting.
Planning ensures we put the implants into healthy bone, and gives us information about the shape of your mouth and bite. Using the scans of your mouth, we’ll create the surgical guide and mill both the temporary and final dental bridge.
Step 3
Fitting the implants
Tooth extractions, grafting treatment and sinus lifts can be done while we’re placing your implants. This keeps the time you’re in the treatment room to a manageable amount. Once the implants are in we’ll fit your temporary arch. These teeth are made from a robust acrylic, so you can keep eating, drinking and smiling while the bone and gums fuse around the implants. This will take around three months. Don’t worry though. You’re unlikely to feel uncomfortable for that entire time. Things should settle down within a few days to a couple of weeks.
Step 4
Final bridge placement
Your final prosthetic teeth are milled from zirconia ceramic. This material is stronger than acrylic and lasts longer. But the real benefit is that ceramic looks and feels more like natural teeth. During this appointment, we’ll explain what you need to do at home to keep your new teeth looking great.
Step 5
Routine check-up
Around two weeks after your final bridge is fitted we’ll invite you in for a check-up. We’ll make sure everything is healing correctly, and fine-tune your full arch or bridge if you’re feeling any discomfort.
About your temporary arch
Using the scans and x-rays of your mouth, the temporary arch is milled using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), which is a tough shatter-resistant plastic. It’s then painted to give the teeth a natural look. Temporary arches are fitted the same way as the final bridge—attached to the implants. This gives your gums and jaw a chance to heal around the implants and lets you eat, drink, chat and smile for selfies as usual. While the temporary arch is strong, it’s not designed to last forever. Your gum tissue will shrink slightly during the healing process, and as the temporary arch is made before this happens, it doesn’t take the healed tissue level into account. So while they’ll be a good fit, they won’t be a great fit. But your final bridge will fit perfectly.
Recovery and aftercare
A few days to a few weeks
How long it takes for your gums to feel less tender.
How long it takes for your gums to feel less tender.
How long it takes for the bone and gums to heal around the implants.
Pain relief options
Recommendations depend on your general health, and are discussed with you before you leave the practice.
Two weeks later
Your routine check-up, where we monitor the healing and fine-tune your bridge if you’re feeling any discomfort.
A few days to a few weeks | Roughly three months | Pain relief options | Two weeks later |
How long it takes for your gums to feel less tender. | How long it takes for the bone and gums to heal around the implants. | Recommendations depend on your general health, and are discussed with you before you leave the practice. | Your routine check-up, where we monitor the healing and fine-tune your bridge if you’re feeling any discomfort. |
The Keppel Dental All on 4 guarantee
Our attention to detail, our technology, and the quality of the implants we use mean failure is rare. It can take a few months for your new teeth to feel familiar. This is totally normal. And during this time you’re a priority patient. Any adjustments are part of our aftercare.
But implant failure isn’t an option for us.
In fact, we’re so confident your treatment will be a success that if the bridge breaks, a crown chips, or your implants fall out in the first 24 months after treatment, we’ll replace them. Free of charge.
Making your experience as comfortable and stress-free as possible
Any travel during your treatment for scans or to see surgeons is kept to an absolute minimum. Like you, we believe completing your entire treatment at one practice and being seen by one dentist is the dream scenario. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in the equipment needed to successfully prepare, mill and fit full mouth implants on-site.
The on-site tools that bring your smile to life
3Shape Trios Intraoral Scanner
Takes detailed, accurate scans of your mouth in 10 minutes or less.
CT scanner
Delivers clear images for assessing jaw bone density and sinuses.
3D printer
Prints the surgical guide so implants are placed in the perfect position.
CAD suite
Used to design your bridges and crowns.
CAM milling
All bridges and crowns are milled on-site in just 1–2 weeks.
Our implant of choice
- Researched, developed and manufactured in Sweden
- Multiple implant sizes with one connection design for a smoother procedure
- The Neoss ProActiveⓇ implant surface has been shown to stimulate bone formation*
- Strong, stable and reliable
*Source: Neoss resources (Neoss.com)
Get to know us
Personal treatment plans
Clear, easy-to-understand steps that achieve your oral treatment goals.
Stress-free repayments
Affordable, realistic and manageable repayment agreements.
Quality over quantity
Whether it's upper or lower arches, 4 or 6 implants, once you have your quote the price is fixed.
Completely independent
We’re not a preferred provider or linked to any insurance company. We work solely for you.
Ultimate patient comfort
With new technologies, techniques and even Netflix, our chairs are a comfortable place to be.
Experienced and trusted team
Our professional team will get to know you and your specific dental needs.
Get to
know us
Personal treatment plans
Clear, easy-to-understand steps that achieve your oral treatment goals.
Stress-free repayments
Affordable, realistic and manageable repayment agreements.
Quality over quantity
Whether it's upper or lower arches, 4 or 6 implants, once you have your quote the price is fixed.
Completely independent
We’re not a preferred provider or linked to any insurance company. We work solely for you.
Ultimate patient comfort
With new technologies, techniques and even Netflix, our chairs are a comfortable place to be.
Experienced and trusted team
Our professional team will get to know you and your specific dental needs.
Proud member of:
Keppel Dental is a family-run private practice in Yeppoon, Central Queensland. Principal dentist John Christensen first opened the doors of Keppel Dental in 1977, and it’s currently owned and run by John’s son Luke and his daughter-in-law, Lyndsey.
In our 40 years of service, we’ve helped more than 20,000 people in the Central Queensland area with their oral health needs. We’ve also seen a lot of changes to dentistry practices in that time.
It makes us smile to see research and technology in our industry flourish. Progress and modern dentistry mean you can have a more comfortable experience when you’re sitting in our chairs. And we’re certainly not afraid to adopt the latest innovations in dentistry and patient comfort so our rooms give you the dental experience you want.
As our patient, we’re here to take care of you and your ongoing oral health needs
Getting all new teeth is a huge personal and financial investment. We never fit and forget. Whether you live nearby or travel to us from a rural area, we’ll always support your future oral health journey. We’re happy to organise a phone consultation if you can’t get to us in person right away. It’s important you get the most out of your smile makeover.
Your All on 4 implant dentist in Central Queensland
People from Mackay, Gladstone, Melbourne, Biloela, Bundaberg and of course Rockhampton and Yeppoon choose us for their treatment.
- Enjoy shorter travel times and stay closer to your home or work in Central Queensland
- We’re only a 45-minute drive from Rockhampton airport if you need to fly in
- Our practice is located close to the Yeppoon town centre, accommodation and restaurants
- Enjoy beach walks, the ocean and views of The Keppel Islands as you recover. (The big city doesn’t have that.)
- We’re local to you for easier follow-up appointments.
All on 4 cost
$21,000 for an upper or lower arch*- All consultations and x-rays
- Pre-procedure planning (3D scans, CT scans, surgical guides)
- The surgery itself (placement of the implants)
- A temporary bridge to replace missing teeth
- The high-quality manufacture and placement of the final full arch bridge
- Two-week follow-up appointment
The All on 4 procedure takes at least four appointments, spaced out over 3–6 months. It’s an investment in time and dollars. But for the many patients who move forward with this treatment, there’s rarely any regret.
Compared to other tooth replacement options, full-mouth implants are
Your dental implant treatment may be more or even slightly less than this estimated cost.
Booking your free consultation with Luke and getting a personal treatment plan is the only way to know for sure how much you can expect to pay.
Our price promise to you
The quote you get at your first face-to-face consultation is the price you pay.
Even if you need more x-rays than we first thought.
Even if you need more than four implants.
Even if you need extra adjustments.
The price is fixed.
And remember, there’s also the Keppel Dental All on 4 guarantee. In the unlikely event the bridge breaks, you chip a crown or your implants fall out in the first 24 months after treatment, we’ll replace them for free.
Start your All on 4 implant journey
Contact us and our friendly staff will book your free first consultation with Dr Luke.
He’ll talk to you about your concerns, the procedure, the timelines, and the estimated cost for your personalised treatment plan.
With all the information on the table, you can then choose when and how to continue the journey.
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FAQs
With good day-to-day oral hygiene (brushing twice a day, using superfloss or a Waterpik, seeing your dentist for regular checkups), full mouth implants can last 10–20 years. The bridge is made from hard-wearing ceramic so it’s hardwearing. We’ll explain how to care for your teeth when the final bridge is placed.
Getting dental implants isn’t a decision you should rush into.
You need to consider:
- the cost
- the healing process
- the time you’ll need to take off work
You and your dentist should also be confident that you’ll get the result you want. Weighing up all these things and getting organised takes time.
Depending on their reasons for needing implants, people take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to decide. The best way to find out whether full-mouth implants are right for you is to speak with a dentist and get some guidance on what’s right for your oral health.
The same way as you clean and care for natural teeth. We recommend brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush twice a day, flossing once a day using superfloss or a Waterpik, and then seeing your dentist for checkups. How often you’ll need to see your dentist depends on your individual oral health plan, but it’s usually every three, six or 12 months.
Studies have shown that only two to four percent of dental implants fail.[1][2] This is considered very low, and while there aren’t recent statistics specifically for All on 4, it’s considered to be about the same or slightly less. The main reasons for implant failure are:
- pre-implant procedures and planning not being fully completed
- teeth grinding (bruxism), which weakens the jaw and affects healing
- lifestyle choices such as smoking, or existing medical conditions and medications related to its management.
Planning is key to successful full-mouth implants, and Dr Luke is meticulous in his pre-procedure planning. Using CT scans and 3D images of your mouth, he can see exactly what needs to be done before the implants are placed. This minimises the risk of failure. We’re so confident in our work that we have an All on 4 guarantee.
Sources
[1] Implant Zones of the Jaws, Journal of Oral Implantology
[2] The survival rates and risk factors of implants in the early stage, BMC Oral Health
You’ll feel very little during the procedure. A local anesthetic is used to numb the area. At most you’ll feel some pressure and movement, but there shouldn’t be any pain. Once the treatment is complete and the anaesthetic wears off you can expect some tenderness. Before you leave the practice your dentist will talk to you about pain relief options and methods to help with the healing process.
A dentist may remove the All on 4 prostheses if it needs repairing. But All on 4 dentures are not like traditional dentures. They’re fixed in place like natural teeth, and you can’t remove them. That means you can talk, chew and even sneeze with confidence. Your teeth aren’t going anywhere.
It’s normal for your gums to feel tender and even bleed a little. You may also experience some swelling and bruising around the face. This usually starts going down within a few days, and within 2–3 weeks you should be feeling back to normal. Try not to worry about any pain. Luke will discuss how you can manage it effectively.
With the right planning and good care afterwards, dental implants can last 10–20 years. They’re built to withstand everyday life and give you the same freedoms as natural teeth.
Once your final bridge has been fitted and your gums have healed, nothing is off the menu.
After the healing period, you shouldn’t feel your implants at all. Unlike traditional dentures that sit on your gums and can cause friction if the bridge moves, implants are placed into your jaw and the arch is securely attached. They are fixed so won’t move, eliminating denture discomfort.
Ready to start your journey?
Contact us to book your free first consultation with Dr Luke.
In person, over the phone, or via a video call.
Whatever suits you.
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